1998 Lawrence J. Bargetto Gewurztraminer, Monterey County (winery at Soquel, CA)
12% alcohol
I liked this at a tasting (probably at Taste of Monterey) and ordered three bottles to be shipped. The first one I opened a couple years ago tasted bland and flat. I thought it might have been cooked in shipment since it took a really long time to arrive. However, it may have been an off bottle or in a closed phase. This second of the three was much improved.
Dark straw color with clarity. Fragrant and fruity with a faint touch of spice. Medium-long finish. Pleasant aftertaste. Nice accompaniment to pork chops or fried jumbo shrimp with lemon juice. I saved a little from the third evening to compare with a Washington State Gewurz.
2001 Columbia Crest Gewurztraminer
11.5% alcohol
Younger vintage than the Bargetto but a deeper gold color. Less acid. More than a suggestion of sweetness. The Bargetto seems to be truer to my idea of what Gewurz should be.

Thanks for the TN on the Gewurztraminer, JC! It is one of my favorite wines and I will look for it. I am actually trying to break away for the Monterey Tasting in November for the first time, but do not know if I will be able to. Since you have attended, what are your thoughts on the event?

Asimov had an article in the NYT the other day saying that the best dry Gewurztraminer now is being made in Anderson Valley, CA. Lazy Creek, Navarro, and Londer are some of the names to look for. The Alsatians, in contrast, are said to have become bigger and more alcoholic. France and California, he suggests, have switched identities with respect to Gewurzt.

Thanks for the Bargetto note. I was trying to remember this wine last night but to no avail. Been at least seven years since I have had one. I am not really a fan of Gewurtz but remember really liking theirs.

Dan Smothergill wrote:Asimov had an article in the NYT the other day saying that the best dry Gewurztraminer now is being made in Anderson Valley, CA. Lazy Creek, Navarro, and Londer are some of the names to look for. The Alsatians, in contrast, are said to have become bigger and more alcoholic. France and California, he suggests, have switched identities with respect to Gewurzt.

Well, I would be up at trying some of those Calif examples!!!! I just cannot believe the comments about Alsace however, what has Asimov been tasting? Bigger and more alcoholic by who? The Gewurtz that I am partial to do not seem to be as described!!!

Deborah,
I haven't attended the event you mentioned. The Taste of Monterey is a shopfront near the Monterey Aquarium where you can taste wines from some of the Monterey County wineries and perhaps also buy locally produced foods.
Navarro is a name I often hear recommended for a California Gewurz but have not tried one yet.

Thanks for the reply, my misunderstanding. I thought you were perhaps referring to the annual wine tasting event in Monterey, CA. I've included the link below. I must check out the shop you mentioned next time I am there!

Deborah, that looks fun. I think that is new since I lived in Monterey (I was there 1984-1988 and 1991-1994). The wine dinners at 17 different restaurants is similar to one of the offerings at the Nantucket Wine Festival (mid-May before the high season rates kick in for lodgings) and the Triangle Wine Experience in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina. It's always exciting for me to look over the list of wineries represented and favorite restaurants and choose which one of them I will attend.

Sorry if I came off a little smug. I didn't mean to offend -I'm probably a little too protective of Alsace and her good name (but hell, she's been good to me). I have had a couple of Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer (Navarro and Handley among others) and haven't been too impressed. At the very least not enough to put them in the same class as Alsace. As for the writer -well, I've never been too impressed with Asimov.

JC (NC) wrote:Deborah, that looks fun. I think that is new since I lived in Monterey (I was there 1984-1988 and 1991-1994). The wine dinners at 17 different restaurants is similar to one of the offerings at the Nantucket Wine Festival (mid-May before the high season rates kick in for lodgings) and the Triangle Wine Experience in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina. It's always exciting for me to look over the list of wineries represented and favorite restaurants and choose which one of them I will attend.

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JC, you actually lived in Monterey and left? It is such a lovely area, I try to get out there as often as I can. Thanks for mentioning the other two wine tasting events. I would enjoy attending the one in Nantucket one day, another beautiful area, but the one in NC is certainly closer to me so I am going to do a search for that one!

Bill,
No offense. Asimov's remarks were very strong, particularly about California and Alsace reversing roles. I thought they might be worth passing along, if for no other reason than seeing what response they might draw from those who know Gewurzt. In that regard I was glad to see Oliver McCrum's reply about the dry Alto Adige.
In Alsace last year, for the first time, I thoroughly enjoyed the Gewurzt. The increase in quality as you go up the price ladder within the same winery was a real eye opener. We have that to some extent here (US), but not nearly on the same scale.
Also, I was struck that the Gewurzt wasn't drier. I understand that this is a regional characteristic, but it made quite an impression. Asimov's remarks about the dry Anderson Valley style then became that much more intriguing.

JC, you actually lived in Monterey and left? It is such a lovely area, I try to get out there as often as I can. Thanks for mentioning the other two wine tasting events. I would enjoy attending the one in Nantucket one day, another beautiful area, but the one in NC is certainly closer to me so I am going to do a search for that one. [end quote]

I LOVED Monterey but the cost of living was killing me. I was paying more in rent for a two-bedroom apartment than my sister and brother-in-law were paying on a mortgage for a four bedroom 2 1/2 bath house on a large lot (new construction) in West Des Moines, Iowa.

The Triangle Wine Experience website is not fleshed out yet for 2007 but here is the link: http://www.trianglewineexperience.org/ As I learned last year, some of the more desirable dinners sell out in a hurry so ask to get on the mailing list for a brochure or watch the website periodically. It benefits Frankie Lemmon School for children with special needs so it is a very worthwhile cause as well as a fun event.

If you do consider Nantucket Wine Festival, my two favorite features are the wine dinners and the Great Tastings in Grand Houses (wine tastings limited to 12 people in private homes on the island.) Some good seminars and other tastings as well but those two features make the weekend for me.

JC (NC) wrote:I LOVED Monterey but the cost of living was killing me. I was paying more in rent for a two-bedroom apartment than my sister and brother-in-law were paying on a mortgage for a four bedroom 2 1/2 bath house on a large lot (new construction) in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Ahh, I hear you, JC! The cost of living out there is truly unreal, I do understand. I spent about 10 years out in CA during my teens. Though there are some incredibly beautiful areas and I still travel there to visit family and friends, we will not live out there either, and that is one of the reasons. Spending one's life living for a mortgage payment is not my idea of living either! ;)

The Triangle Wine Experience website is not fleshed out yet for 2007 but here is the link: http://www.trianglewineexperience.org/ As I learned last year, some of the more desirable dinners sell out in a hurry so ask to get on the mailing list for a brochure or watch the website periodically. It benefits Frankie Lemmon School for children with special needs so it is a very worthwhile cause as well as a fun event.Thank you for taking the time to provide me with the link, JC! I appreciate it and your helpful suggestions.

If you do consider Nantucket Wine Festival, my two favorite features are the wine dinners and the Great Tastings in Grand Houses (wine tastings limited to 12 people in private homes on the island.) Some good seminars and other tastings as well but those two features make the weekend for me.

It will probably be awhile before we make plans to travel up to the one in Nantucket, but thank you again for the info! It is on my personal list of "Wine Experiences to Drink In."